A hospital endoscopy unit in Lincolnshire has been recognised nationally for the high standards of care it provides.
The endoscopy unit at Grantham and District Hospital run by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust has recently been given Joint Advisory Group accreditation. Known as JAG, this is a national award set up to ensure high standards of care in clinical quality, quality of patient experience, training and workforce.
The unit cares for patients undergoing endoscopy procedures, which are procedures that are used to assess areas inside the body by inserting a flexible tube that can provide images of the area in question and be used to take samples. Endoscopes can be inserted into the body through a natural opening, such as the mouth and down the throat, or through the anus.
This now means that all four units in Lincolnshire have received their accreditation.
Work has been done to improve the single sex areas, privacy and dignity and the decontamination facilities.
The visiting JAG team congratulated the team on the following areas of excellence:
· The excellent discharge area designed and decorated by the nursing team by raising money from cake sales and donations. This demonstrates the team spirit and passion for the service obvious on the day of the visit.
· The proactive management of identifying problems before they occur.
· The patient satisfaction survey -‘what you said and what we did’ – and also the feedback books in the discharge room which highlight the quality of the service provided by the team.
· Supporting staff development and mentoring using a dedicated training facilitator and allowing staff protected time for training.
· The ethos of communication which is excellent, with the effective use of monthly meetings and daily ‘huddles’ to resolve any issues effectively and in a timely manner.
· The unit is to be congratulated on the positive feedback on the training environment, which is supportive, welcoming and nurturing.
Head of Endoscopy, Screening and Physiological Sciences for United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Nikki Woodcock, said: “I am very proud of the whole team who have worked really hard to reach and maintain the high standard required for this accreditation. As a result of the accreditation work will commence in February to refurbish areas of the present unit which will futureproof it for years to come”
An endoscopy is a procedure where the inside of your body is examined using an endoscope – a long, thin, flexible tube that has a light source and a video camera at one end.
Some of the most commonly used types of endoscopes include:
· Colonoscopes – used to examine your large intestine (colon)
· Gastroscopes – used to examine your oesophagus and stomach
· Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) – used to check for gallstones
· Broncoscopes – used to examine your lungs and airways
The JAG accreditation is awarded by the Joint Advisory Group on Gastrointenstinal Endoscopy. The group assumes an active role in the quality assurance of endoscopy training and services across the UK.